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James Wall, Mr. Baxter on 'Captain Kangaroo,' dies at 92

October 29, 2010 | 9:38
am

James Wall, 92, who played Captain Kangaroo's neighbor Mr. Baxter on the children's show and worked for many years as a stage manager for CBS News, died Wednesday in New York City after a short illness, CBS News announced.

The former vaudevillian joined the popular children's show in 1962 as a stage manager before persuading the show's producers to create its first black character in 1968.

He played Baxter and another recurring role on the show until 1978.

Wall was a stage manager for many CBS broadcasts over the years, including "60 Minutes," "Face the Nation" and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships.